Freezing tray



Aug. 5, 1941. 2 L. D. KI'ELLY FREEZING TRAY Filed June 8, 1937 L Invest arry e y,

8 Attorney.

Patented Aug. 5, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FREEZING TRAY .Larry D. Kelly, Scotia, N. Y., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application June 8, 1937, Serial No. 147,057

7 Claims. (Cl. 62-1085) My invention relates to freezing trays em- Many types of refrigerating machines, and particularly those adapted for household use, are provided with a freezing tray supported on a surface of a cooling unit associated with the refrigerating machine for producing ice. A divider is commonly provided in the freezing tray in order to divide the same into a number of small compartments so that the ice will be frozen in the form of small blocks or cubes. The divider is frequently separate from the freezing tray and removable therefrom in order to facilitate the release "of the ice blocks.

Arrangements have been proposed for mechanically' releasing the divider and the ice blocks carried thereby from the freezing tray and for mechanically releasing the ice blocks from the divider withoutthawing the frozen bonds between the ice blocks and the refrigerating apparatus. These arrangements have not been al- An object of my invention is to provide an improved arrangement for greatly diminishing the forces required to release mechanically ice blocks from a freezing tray without thawing the frozen bonds between the ice blocks and their compartment walls.

Another object of' my invention is to provide a freezing tray, a divider cooperating with the freezing tray to form a plurality of ice block compartments, and an improved arrangement for mechanically releasing the ice blocks from the'freezing tray and the divider without thawing the frozen bonds between the ice blocks and their compartment walls.

A further object of my invention is to provide a freezing tray, a divider cooperating with the freezing tray to form a plurality of ice block compartments, and an arrangement for mechanically releasing at least one of the ice blocks disposed in one of the compartments from the freezing tray and the divider without disturbing the frozen bonds between other of the ice blocks and vtherewith to form a plurality of adjacent pairs of ice blockcompartments, and an arrangement for. and a method of, mechanically releasing each pair of theice blocks from the freezing tray and the adjacent pairs of ice blocks in a predetermined order from the freezing tray and the divider without thawing the frozen bonds between the ice blocks and their compartment walls.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, and the features of novelty which characterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification. For a better understanding of my invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a freezing tray and a removable divider forming a plurality of adjacent pairs of ice block compartments, and embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of the divider showing the parts thereof; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of a plurality of relatively miovable partition elements forming a part of the divider shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a plurality of partition walls forming a part of the divider shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a modified form of the divider; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view, partly in section, of a modified form of a freezing tray having a divider forming ice block compartments, and a manually operable arrangement for mechanically releasing the adjacent pairs of ice blocks from their compartment walls in a predetermined order; and Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the manually operable arrangement shown in Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawing, in Fig. 1 I have shown a shallow rectangular freezing tray in and a removable divider I. The freezing tray I0 is provided with a substantially flat bottom wall [2 and an upwardly directed marginal wall l3 which 'is provided with a downwardly turned marginal tition element F! is arranged in each of the ice block compartments and comprises a vertical wall portion Ila conforming to a side of the longitudinal partition wall l5 and a horizontal wall portion Ilb conformimg to the bottom wall from a single sheet of flexible metal.

I2 of the freezing tray II). The outer ends of the horizontal portions IIb of the partition elements II are rolled over at I8, and a pair of rods I9 extend through the rolled-over portions I8 to connect the'outer' ends of the horizontal portions I") of the partition element H to the lower edges of the transverse partition walls I6. The transverse partition walls I6 are provided with recesses 20 therein adapted to receive portions of the rods l9 extending across the lower edges thereof. Also, a connecting strap 2| extends between the upper edges of the vertical portions na of each pair of the partition elements I'I arranged in adjacent ice block compartments on opposite sides of the longitudinal partition wall I5. Preferably, the adjacent pair of partition elements I1 and the connecting strap 2I extending therebetween are formed integrally Each of the connecting straps 2I extends across the longi-tudinal partition wall I5. These connecting strap are spaced therefrom in order to receive the end of a lever 22 including a curved end 22a for mechanically releasing a pair of the ice blocks 23 disposed in a pair of the adjacent ice block compartments.

The pair of rods I9 extending through the rolled-over portions I8 adjacent the outer ends of the horizontal portions III) of the partition elements II together with the connecting straps extending between the upper edges of the vertical portions IIa of each pair of the partition. elements I! retain the partition elements II in assembled relation on the divider II and provide for relative movement of each pair of the connected partition elements II with respect to the freezing tray I0 and the partition walls I5 and I6 of the divider II. The assembled partition elements I! shown in Fig. 3 may be readily placed upon the assembled partition walls I5 and I6 shown in Fig. 4 in order to provide the divider I I shown in Fig. 2, by placing the assembled partition elements I'I over the assembled partition walls I5 and I6, spreading the rods I9 apart, lowering the partition element I'I into the ice block compartments formed by the partition walls I5 and I6, and engaging the portions of the rods I9 disposed between the rolled-over portions I8 with the recesses 20 formed in the lower edges of the transverse partition walls I6. The divider II is retained in assembled relation due to the resiliency of the flexible partition elements II. The assembled partition elements I! may be removed from the partition walls I6 by following the steps set forth above in an inverse order, in order to facilitate cleaning of the component parts of the divider II.

The adjacent pairs of ice blocks 23 are mechanically released from the freezing tray Ill and the divider. II in a predetermined order and,

' preferably, the adjacent pairs of'ice blocks are released from the freezing tray Ill and the divider II successively from the front end of the trays toward the rear end thereof. This arrangement provides for mechanically releasing any desired pair of ice blocks without thawing, and without disturbing the frozen bond between the remain ing ice blocks and their containing walls. In releasing a pair of the ice blocks from the ice block compartments the curved end 22a. of the lever 22 is inserted between the connecting strap 2| extending between the upper edges of the vertical portions Hit of a pair of the partition elements I'I arranged in adjacent ice block compartments on opposite sides of the longitudinal partition wall I5. The outer end of the lever 22 is then depressed causing the curved. end 22a. thereof to fulcrum on the upper edge of the longitudinal partition wall I5 and exert an upward lifting force between the connecting strap 2I and the upper edge of the longitudinal partition wall I5 which tends to straighten the connected pair of L-shaped partition elements II. Thevertical portions IIa of the connected pair of partition elements I! are raised slightly within the ice block compartments and with respect to the partition walls I5 and i6 and the bottom wall I2 of the freezing tray III, which causes the rolled-over portions I8 on the outer ends of the horizontal portion Nb of the connected pair 'of partition elements slightly about the pair of rods I9. These movements of the horizontal and vertical portions of the connected pair of partition elements I'I produce lifting forces acting upon the pair of ice blocks 23 being released, which shifts the pair of ice blocks upwardly and outwardly toward the marginal rim IA of the freezing tray ID. The pair of ice blocks 23 is thus shifted away from the longitudinal partition wall I5 and the frozen bonds between the ice blocks 23 and the freezing tray and divider ar broken without divider 25 of substantially-the same construction as the divider I -I shown in Fig. 2. In this form of .the construction the partition elements H are individually formed and the adjacent partition elements I 7 of each pair are secured together by a connecting strap 26 comprising an inverted U-shaped steel wire, the ends of the connecting straps 26 being welded at 2'Ito the upper edges of the vertical portions IIa. of the partition elements I1. If desired, the connecting straps 26 may be formed of plural strand steel cable in order to lend additional' flexibility thereto.

Figs. 6 and '7 illustrate a freezing tray III of the construction shown in Fig. 1, a slightly modified form of divider 30, and an arrangement for mechanically releasing adjacent pairs of the ice blocks from the freezing tray I0 and the divider 30 successively from the front end of the freezing tray toward the rear end thereof without thawing. In this construction pairs of the partition elements H are connected by straps 3I. Each of the connecting straps 3| extends across the longitudinal partition wall 32 and is slightly inclined toward the rear end of the divider 30 in order 'to engage one of a extending integral arm 31 adjacent the front end of the divider 30 and extending over the front edge ofthe downwardly turned mar inal II to turn rim H of the freezing tray III. An operating handle 38 is pivotally mounted on the upper end of the arm 31 by a pin 39 extending through aligned holes formed in the operating handle 38 adjacent one end thereof and in the upper end of the arm 31. The operating handle 38 is provided with a pair of arms 40 disposed on opposite sides of the arm 31 which are operatively connected to an extension 4| on the slide 34 adjacent the front end of the divider 30, by an arrangement including a pair of links 42 disposed on opposite sides of the arm 31. The links 42 are pivoted to the arms 40 and the extension 4| by a pair of pins 43 and 44, respectively, extending through holes provided in the ends of the links, the ends of the arms 46 and the end of the extension 4|.

The operating handle 38 normally occupies a substantially horizontal position and is swingable from its normal position to a substantially vertical position about the pin 39. As the operating handle'38 is swung into its vertical position the slide 34 is moved from its normal position adjacent the front end of the divider 30 toward .the rear end thereof. The longitudinal spacings between the tapered wedges 33 on the slide 34 successively decrease from the front end of the divider 30 toward the rear end thereof. As a result, when the operating 'handle 34 is swung from its horizontal position to its vertical position, the tapered wedges 33 which are of equal height above the slide 34, successively engage the connecting straps 3| from the front end of the divider 30 toward the rear end thereof. Thus, as the operating handle 38 is swung into posed in said one compartment from at least one of its compartment walls.

2. In combination with a freezing tray having a bottom wall, a divider comprising a plurality of partition walls and cooperating with said freezing tray to form ice block compartments, a partition element arranged in one of said compartments, said partition element having a, portion conforming to one of said partition walls and another portion conforming to the bottom wall of said freezing tray, and manually operable means adapted to exert a force between said divider and said partition element for breaking loose an ice block disposed in said one compartment from at least one of its compartment walls.

3. In combination with a freezing tray having a bottom wall, a, divider comprising a plurality of partitionwalls cooperating with said freezing tray to form ice block compartments, a flexible partition element arranged in one of said compartments, said partition element having a vertical portion conforming to one of said parits vertical position, the adjacent pairs of partition elements H are successively lifted within the ice block compartments and with respect to the freezing tray l0 and to the partition. walls 32 and it of the divider from the front end of the freezing tray ldtoward the rear end thereof. This causes the adjacent pairs of ice blocks to be released from the freezing tray and the divider successively from one end of the freezing tray toward the other end thereof. Any desired number of pairs or all of the ice blocks may be released from the freezing tray l9 and the divider 3G by swinging the operating handle 38 about its pivot 39 from its horizontal position to D an appropriate inclined position toward its vertical position. The released ice blocks may then be removed from the freezing tray l0 and the divider 36 for use as desired.

While I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, other modifications will. be apparent to those skilled in the art. I therefore do not desire my invention to be limited to the particular arrangements shown and described, and I intend in the appended claims to cover all modifications within the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

l; In combination with a freezing tray having a bottom wall, a divider comprising a plurality of partition walls cooperating with said freezing tray to form ice block. compartments, a partition element arranged in one of said compartments, said partition element having a portion tion element for breaking loose an ice block dis tition walls and a horizontal portion conforming to the bottom wall of said freezing tray, and manually operable means adapted to exert a force on said partition element tending to straighten said partitionelement for. breaking loose an ice block disposed in said one compartment from its compartment walls.

4. In combination with a freezing tray having 'a bottom wall, a divider comprising a plurality of partition walls cooperating with said freezing tray to form ice block compartments, 9, flexible partition element arranged in one of said compartments, said partition element having a vertical portion conforming to one of said partition walls and a horizontal portion. conforming to said freezing tray to form ice block compartments, a flexible L-shaped partition element arranged in each of two adjacent compartments, said partition elements having vertical portions conforming to the sides of one of .said partition walls and horizontal portions conforming to the bottom wallof said freezing tray, means extending between the vertical portions of said partition elements and across said one partition wall for connecting said partition elements, and manually operable means adapted to exert a force upon said connecting means tending to straighten said partition elements for breaking loose ice blocks disposed in 'said adjacent compartments from their compartment walls.

6. In combination with a fi'eezing tray having a bottom wall, adivider comprising a plurality of partition walls cooperating with said freezing tray to form ice block compartments, a flexible L-shaped partition element. arranged in each of two adjacent compartments, said partition elements having vertical portions conforming to the sides of one of said partition walls and horizontal portions conforming to the bottom wall of said freezing tray, means extending between the vertical portions of said partition elements and across said one partition wall for connecting said partition elements, the outer ends of the hori-' zontal portions of said partition elements being partition walls and cooperating with said ireezing tray' to form a plurality of ice block compartments, a flexible L-shaped partition element arranged in each of said compartments, each of said partition elements having a vertical portion conforming to a side of said longitudinal partition wall and a horizontal portion conforming to the bottom wallof said freezing tray, means extending between the vertical portions of each pair,

of said partition elements in adjacent compartments on opposite sides 01' said longitudinal partition wall and across said longitudinal partition wall for connecting said partition elements,

means including a pair of spaced apart rods extending along the lower portion 0! said divider for bonnecting the outer ends oi. said horizontal portions of said partition elements to said divider, and manually operable means adapted to exert a lifting force between said divider and one of said connecting means tending to straighten the pair of connected partition elements for breaking loose the ice blocks disposed in the ad- :Iacent compartments from their compartment walls.

LARRY D. KELLY. 

